Mavs to host first non-conference game since 2010
For the first time since 2011 the Maverick football team will play a non-conference game when they take on Western Oregon University of the Lone Star Conference Saturday at Blakeslee Stadium.
In 2011, the Mavericks traveled to Michigan where they lost 31-24. The last time they hosted a non-conference game was 2010 when they defeated Northern Michigan 7-6.
The Mavericks are currently 6-0 and ranked fourth in the American Football Coaches Association for the third straight week. Their past two wins have been one-score games.
Three teams stand ranked in the top 25 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. Augustana is 22nd with a 6-1 record while Bemidji is 11th with a 5-1 record.
As a team, the Maverick averaged 38.3 points and 479 yards of offense a game. They rely heavily on the run game as they average 264 rushing yards a game. Shen Butler-Lawson leads the run game with 960 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns. He leads division II football in yards, is second in yards per carry and is fourth in rushing touchdowns.
Christian Vasser has 256 yards and one touchdown while Tony Anger has 123 rushing yards and five touchdowns, three of which came in last Saturday’s homecoming victory. He also punched in a two point conversion.
In the air, quarterback Hayden Ekern has thrown for 1,217 yards and has 10 touchdowns. The offensive line has been a brick wall, allowing just one sack so far.
On defense, Jacob Daulton leads the team in tackles with 27. Maven Kretche has five sacks while Khai West has recorded two interceptions.
Dakota Smith led the defense to a homecoming win last Saturday as he recovered a fumble on the goalline and blocked a kick to keep Minnesota State Moorhead scoreless in the second half.
For the Wolves, they are led by coach Arne Ferguson who has a 103-86 record over his past 18 seasons. This season they are 3-3.
Fergusons’s defense averages 23 points and 382 yards of offense a game. Dominique dominates their split backfield with 547 yards and five touchdowns while Austin Bacher has 329 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Gannon Winker has thrown for 787 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
On defense they have three players that have over 30 tackles on the season. They allow for 25.3 points, 209.0 passing yards and 122.7 rushing yards a game.
The game will be hosted at Blakeslee Stadium with a scheduled kickoff at 1p.m.
Header Photo: This will be the first time in program history that the Mavs will play Western Oregon. (Lilly Anderson/The Reporter)
Write to Luke Jackson at luke.jackson.2@mnsu.edu